Music

Review: Fast Lane by Kristen Ashley

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For those who don’t know me, I love Kristen Ashley. HARD. When I hear she has a book coming out, I clear my schedule and get ready. And when the book arrives, whether ARC or release day, everything gets dropped and my family can eat cereal for all I care. Luckily my hubby loves her almost as much as I do, so he totally understands.

Fast Lane was written in a way I don’t think I’ve ever read before. She said she was inspired by Daisy Jones & The Six. While I’ve not read that, I was unsure for what I getting myself into. I’ll admit it took a little bit to find my groove but once I did, I couldn’t put it down.

Lyla and Preacher’s romance spanned decades and I loved every heartbreaking moment. In typical rock ‘n roll fashion, there was a lot going on, but in the midst was their love. It was all encompassing. Preacher’s world revolved around Lyla’s and vice versa. Theirs was a love that hit you in the gut. Listening to her tell their story, I could feel how much she loved him. They made bad decisions, but they made them together. What’s life without a little drama, right?

This book was a true roller coaster of emotions. I had faith that Kristen wouldn’t do me wrong, but I’ll admit it got a little tense a few times. And I can remember the moment. You know what I’m talking about? The moment just when you think all is lost, something happens, and you lose your freaking mind. Let’s just say I’m glad no one was home when I read that part.

In true Kristen Ashley form she brings you up, down, and all around, till you’re a puddle of goo on the floor. I really hope this gets put in audible form. I do believe hearing the voices and all the pain will hit ever harder than just reading. Thank you, Kristen, for going with your gut and giving us a story that is different than what we’re used to, and yet still the same emotional romance.

~Melpomene

Buy Fast Lane https://amzn.to/2nP0krt

Quick review: Love Songs & Other Lies by Jessica Pennington

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I haven’t read a single contemporary YA in over four months. So this story was like a breath a fresh air. A nice change a pace. A second chance romance with music intertwined throughout it. In fact my heart was all a flutter.

After breaking her heart two years ago, Virginia(Vee) and Cam will be spending the summer, along with their friends, in a bus touring for a band contest/reality show. What could go wrong?

After having her heart broken two years ago, Virginia(Vee), will be spending the summer touring the country, for a rock band/reality show, in a bus filled with her friends, and Cam. Cam, the one who did the breaking of her heart. Cam, the reason she moved away, is now going to be a bed away from her for three months. What’s a girl to do?

This book alternates between the past and current while showing you what went wrong in the past and how it affected the future. Lots of secrets and heartaches. But with love at the center of it.

Since I’m an adult, most of the time, I could see what was happening before they did. I wanted to reach in and bonk their heads together. They needed to share their pain, not hold it inside. If you can’t be truthful to the one you love, you must not love them completely. Cam lived through something horrific and held on to it, not sharing, until it was too much for Vee. And without sharing that, he kept a piece of him from her and it festered.

But when these two finally were forced to confront their demons, the light shined down upon them. The heavens opened up. The angels sang the Hallelujah chorus. OK, I’m being dramatic. Channeling my inner dramatic 20-something self. All in all, when these two finally opened up, all was well in their world. They could move forward together.

~Melpomene

Grab Love Songs & Other Lies https://amzn.to/2F7CPMI

Review: The Happy Hour Choir by Sally Kilpatrick

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Some books are just magical, making me feel like I’m in another world, even though the plot and characters are pretty realistic. Some authors have a way of spinning a story into ethereality. The Crossroads Cafe by Deborah Smith, The Reluctant Prophet by Nancy Rue, and First Frost by Sarah Addison Allen all took me by surprise, embracing me into their twilight. And now The Happy Hour Choir joins the list. 

Beulah is a poor southern young woman, living with a friend, working in a bar, rolling her eyes at religion, and avoiding the church rectory across the street. Until a new, good looking, patient, strong, God-loving pastor comes to town. Beulah certainly notices Luke, and even though she avoids talking about God with him, she appreciates his steadfastness and stability.  

Luke doesn’t try to convert Beulah, but he does guide her in the areas of self-respect and leading others. 

And that’s where the happy hour choir comes in. Beulah uses her connections from the bar to put together a new choir for Luke’s church. And it just happens to meet after Luke’s bible study… Also held at the bar. 

Beulah and Luke wend their way through storms and calm, meeting up and lending support along the way. I loved to see their hearts changing and them shepherding the people around in amazing ways. 

Maybe the magic is in the southern-ness of the story, maybe it’s conviction of faith, or maybe it’s just Luke’s strong silent alpha maleness, but whatever it is left me feeling warm and wanting more. 

-calliope

Buy THE HAPPY HOUR CHOIR

It’s a National CoHo day and giveaway!!

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What does CoHo stand for, you ask?? Well, it’s Colleen Hoover, sillies. And today she has two new releases. Well technically one new one and one kinda new one. Maybe Someday is the brand new one. I have read it and I LOVED it!! Check out my review HERE. I can’t say enough good things about this book. It was a brand new reading experience for me.

For those who don’t know, Griffin Peterson wrote an album to go along with Maybe Someday. It’s a match made in heaven, I tell ya!! You click on the link or GR code, depending on which type of book you’re reading, and it will take you to the website with the music. Then, as you read the book, you click on the songs that go along with certain scenes.

It is just perfect. You’ll fall in love with the songs and his lovely voice. He is super talented and I am so glad he agreed to write these songs for Colleen. They complete this book. Like I said in my review, when I read song lyrics it’s hard to determine the melody. So when I can actually hear the songs as I read, I am blown away. My favorite song is a toss up between Maybe Someday and Hold On to You. Every time I listen to it, I think of the scenes they were played in, and I cry. Such a beautiful story paired up with beautiful music.

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Also releasing today is Finding Cinderella. Now this book is already a free ebook. But as a true CoHo fan, I need her books in the dtb(dead tree book) form. So a group of us diehards bombarded Atria Books on Facebook and Twitter, begging them to print it out for us. For months we did this and it totally paid off!! Today the paperback of Finding Cinderella novella is being released. I know I’ll be stalking my mail man all day. Inside this book will be some of the texts that we sent, and bonus content that isn’t in the ebook. I am super excited to have this on my shelf!!!

GIVEAWAY TIME
Comment on this post for a chance to win a copy of the MP3 album Maybe Someday, by Griffin Peterson. You can download it to your iPod or phone and take his fabulous songs everywhere you go. Trust me, you want this. This music will make your heart happy. The contest will run all week, and I’ll draw a name on Friday at noon. US ONLY

~Melpomene

Buy the book Maybe Someday

Buy the soundtrack Maybe Someday

Buy Finding Cinderella: A Novella